Portable folding chairs and other light-weight, portable equipment, such as folding picnic tables, and camping matts are known in the art. These portable objects are used in outdoor activities, such as camping and on porches and/or decks located in people's lawns. These portable objects are rather lightweight, which makes the portable objects suitable for camping, or movement about the lawn or deck. However, the lightweight nature of these portable objects also makes them susceptible to being moved or blown about in medium to high winds. The movement or blowing about of these portable objects is inconvenient not only in that the portable objects must be moved back to the desired location, but typically, the portable objects must also be cleaned or wiped off due to undesirable contact with the earth.
Rocks and sandbags have been positioned on some portable objects, such as the camping matts, to prevent such portable objects from being moved by the wind. Further, stakes have been utilized, in some instances, to secure portable objects to the earth. However, stakes are typically not practical in trying to stabilize a portable object when the portable object is positioned on hard outdoor surfaces, such as concrete or a deck.
It would represent a state in the art if one were to develop a portable hold down device which could be connected to the portable objects to prevent such portable objects from being moved and/or blown about by the wind. It is to such a portable hold down device which the present invention is directed.